Word Origin & History

mouth O.E. muþ, from P.Gmc. *munthaz (cf. O.Fris. muth, O.N. munnr, M.Du. mont, Ger. Mund, Goth. munþs "mouth"), with characteristic loss of nasal consonant in O.E. (cf. tooth, goose, etc.), from PIE *mnto-s (cf. L. mentum "chin"). In the sense of "outfall of a river" it is attested from early 12c.; as the opening of anything with capacity (a bottle, cave, etc.) it is recorded from c.1200. The verb is c.1300, "to speak," from the noun.